1939 Batman Detective Comics No. 27 sells for record $1 million at auction 1939 Batman Detective Comics No. 27 sells for record $1 million at auction The comic sold on Thursday. (Associated Press) Friday, February 26, 2010 Well, that record didn't last long. Just three days after a Superman book became the first comic to sell for $1 million, a Batman comic book sold Thursday at auction for about $75,000 more. Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas reports that a rare copy of Detective Comics No. 27 from 1939 -- in which "The Batman" made his debut -- sold for a record-setting $1,075,500. The consignor and the buyer -- who purchased the comic online via a "click bid" -- chose to shield their identities (how apropos). And holy deja vu, Batman: Like the Superman comic that sold Monday in New York, the Caped Crusader comic is graded to be in "8.0" condition on the industry's 10-point scale. "It really has an amazing appearance," says Lon Allen, sales director for Heritage's comic books division.

"The bright yellows with Batman swooping in -- you can really tell it was stored properly from the beginning." There are only between 100 and 200 copies of Detective Comics No. 27 in existence, Allen says, and perhaps none in such "very fine" condition. In 1939, the comic sold for 10 cents; the consignor bought the book in the '60s for $100. Before Monday, the record for a comic book sale was $317,000 (in 2009, for another copy of the 1938 Superman-debut issue). "I think this is ushering in a whole new ballgame" in sale prices, Allen says. "This is going to give a boost to the . . .

highest-grade of all comics." © 2010 The Washington Post Company Detective Comics Vol 1 27 | DC Database | Fandom powered by Wikia Detective Comics Vol 1 27 97,681pages on (not yet named, see "Notes" below) Apex Chemical Corporation Synopsis for The Bat-Man: " The Case of the Chemical Syndicate " Commissioner Gordon relaxes at home entertaining his young socialite friend Bruce Wayne . Wayne asks if anything exciting has happened lately, and Gordon explains that a fellow called the " Bat-Man " is puzzling him. Gordon receives a call that chemical manufacturer Lambert has been found murdered. They have Lambert's son in custody, whose fingerprints were found on the knife. Gordon invites Bruce Wayne to the Lambert mansion with him, and Bruce Wayne says he has nothing better to do. The Bat-Man debuts. When they arrive at the crime scene, young Lambert insists he is innocent. The lad explains that he arrived home early and saw his father lying on the floor. When he entered the library, he saw a figure escaping out the window.

He pulled a knife out of his father's back, and his father's last word was "contract." Lambert's son recalls that his father had three associates, Alfred Stryker, Paul Rogers, and Steve Crane. Steve Crane calls Gordon on the phone. Lambert told Crane that he had received a death threat the previous day. Crane has received a similar death threat, and asks for police protection. Bruce Wayne decides to go home, and Gordon rushes over to the Crane residence. Police pursue the Bat-Man. Steven Crane is killed by a gunman who enters through the window. The thug and his partner steal a paper from Crane and climb onto the roof. They are confronted by a figure they recognize as the Bat-Man , standing in the moonlight. The Bat-Man punches the first thug out, then grabs the second one in a headlock and throws him off the second-story roof. He grabs the paper and escapes as Gordon is pulling up. The GCPD try to arrest the Bat-Man, but they are unable to catch him. Gordon learns that Crane has been murdered, and moves on to the next business partner. The Bat-Man smiles when he reads the paper he stole, and drives off in his automobile.

Paul Rogers visits the laboratory of Alfred Stryker, having learned of Lambert's death by news broadcast. Stryker's assistant Jennings clubs Rogers over the head and ties him up. Jennings explains that he will lower a gas chamber over Rogers and kill him the same way he puts animals to sleep. Jennings leaves to activate the gas. The Bat-Man leaps into the room through an open transom, which is some kinda old-timey ceiling window I guess. The Bat-Man grabs a wrench and dives inside the gas chamber before it closes. "A fitting end for his kind." He plugs the gas jet with a handkerchief, and busts through the glass with his wrench. Jennings returns and tries to pull a gun on the Bat-Man, but the Bat-Man punches him in the face really hard. Alfred Stryker enters and demands to know what happened. When Rogers explains that Jennings tried to kill him, Stryker pulls out a knife to finish the job. The Bat-Man is hiding in the shadows, and he grabs Stryker from behind to stop him. The Bat-Man explains to Rogers that they were all partners in the Apex Chemical Corporation.

Stryker had made secret contracts with all of them to pay them a sum of money each year until he owned the business. He grew tired of waiting and decided to kill them so he wouldn't have to pay. Stryker breaks out of the Bat-Man's grip and pulls a gun on him. The Bat-Man punches Stryker so hard in the face that Stryker breaks through a railing and falls into a tank of acid. The Bat-Man remarks that this is a fitting end for his kind, and leaves via transom. Rogers tries to thank the Bat-Man, but he is already gone. Batman is... BRUCE WAYNE?! Later at his house, Commissioner Gordon relates this story to Bruce Wayne. Bruce remarks that this is a lovely fairy tale, and leaves. Gordon thinks to himself that Bruce Wayne is a nice young chap, but he seems to lead a very boring life. Bruce returns home to Wayne Manor , where it's revealed that he is in fact the Bat-Man.

Appearing in Speed Saunders: "Killers of Kurdistan" Featured Characters: The Veiled Prophetress of the Killers of the Kurdistan (Single appearance) (Appears only as a corpse) Locations: Synopsis for Speed Saunders: "Killers of Kurdistan" Synopsis not yet written. Appearing in Buck Marshall: "Bullet Bluff" Featured Characters: (Appears only as a corpse) Locations: Detective Comics Detectives in DC's Detective Comics Known now as the home of Batman , many fans forget that when Detective Comics (which is what D.C. actually stands for) first came out in March 1937, it was simply a comic book version of the hard-boiled pulps already available on the newsstands at the time; full of two-fisted cops, district attorneys, criminal lawyers and especially private eyes shooting it out or dukin' it out with the bad guys. They promised "bang-up adventure yarns in thrilling pictures by your favorite artists!" That first issue introduced private eye Slam Bradley and "ace investigator" Speed Saunders , among others.

In fact, Batman only made his debut in issue #27, and although he hasn't left yet, more than a few private eyes have managed to get into its pages, either alongside the Dark Knight, or as heroes in their own, separate back-up stories. In the 500th issue of Detective Comics, in 1981, DC published "The 'Too Many Cooks...' Caper", which brought back many of DC's non-costumed detectives (plus Batman), including Bradley, Roy Raymond, Jason Bard, Captain Mark Compass, Steve Malone, Christopher Chance and Pow-Wow Smith... Of course, Detective Comics is now completely dominated by Batman, with an emphasis once more placed on detective work and crime-fighting. And, in fact, no matter how many twists and turns the on-going Batman saga takes, it never seems to entirely shake its roots.

In 2001, DC even released an "Elseworlds" graphic novel , Gotham Noir , wherein James Gordon , instead of rising through the ranks to become police commissioner, instead is forced to resign from the force in disgrace, and becomes an alcohol-sodden private eye, and a month or so later, Slam Bradley himself popped up, as a back-up feature in (where else?) Detective Comics. Oh, and I'm proud to say that I've finally tracked down issue Detective Comics #155 from January 1950, which features " Bruce Wayne, Private Detective ." COMICS 26 Important Comic Books | Mental Floss 26 Important Comic Books Like us on Facebook By Christa Wagner Sure, it may seem silly, but, comic books mean something. Soldiers used dog-eared copies of Captain America to keep their spirits up in WWII. The Green Lantern and Green Arrow made kids actually think about issues like racism and heroin. And millions gasped when they heard the news that Superman died. In fact, the vibrant medium is so often pegged as children's pulp, or fun for the feeble-minded, that people tend to forget that comics have actually grown with and continued to reflect the spirit of our times.

HOW THEY GOT GOLDEN Action Comics #1 (June, 1938) Before the release of Action Comics #1, the detective/reporter/adventurer-with-alter-ego formula had been used to create countless characters like Flash Gordon and The Shadow—leading men who were heroes, but not superheroes. That all changed with two 23-year-old graphic illustrators from Cleveland, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Together, they created Superman, a hero that came onto the scene hoisting automobiles over his head, speed-walking past moving trains, and effortlessly hopping from building to building. Kids around the world dropped their jaws and allowances, begging for more. Little did they know, Superman had almost been swept off the drawing room floor. Siegel and Shuster drew the original strip in 1934, and for four years tried to sell it to newspaper syndicates with no luck. Finally, in 1938, DC Comics editor Vin Sullivan fished it out of a pile of rejected strips and ran it, changing the history of comic books forever. Detective Comics #27 (May 1939) Issue #27 marked the debut of Bob Kane and Bill Finger's comic creation, Batman.

Batman didn't have any super-powers like Superman, but he was tricked out on gadgets. Working under the cover of darkness, Batman appeared more sinister than other comic heroes (or villains, for that matter), and yet simultaneously served as an identifiable flesh-and-blood human. Ultimately, Batman introduced a completely new characteristic to superherodom: fallibility. Marvel Comics #1 (November 1939) In the Golden Age, superheroes were all the rage. So to scratch America's newest itch, Marvel Comics introduced three incredible, death-defying heroes: the Human Torch, the Submariner and the Angel. If anything, the rapid introduction of new characters and publishers to the line-up revealed that comic books were fantastically appealing to people, especially kids, who could afford to buy them with their allowances. This meant that, for the first time in American history, companies could mass-market directly to children. Superman #1 (Summer, 1939) After the success of Action Comics #1, it became apparent that Superman needed his own comic book, which is how Superman #1 became the first title devoted to a single comic character. Kids' pajamas and bed sheets would never be the same again, but neither would America.

Superman was the first incarnation of a new type of hero: an omnipotent do-gooder doubling (admirably) as a working class man. With Superman at the helm, comic books entered their Golden Age. The Yellow Kid (Feb. 1896) No discussion of comics can begin without mentioning Richard F. Outcault's "The Yellow Kid," which ran as a series of strips and panels in The New York World and later in The New York Herald. Its star was hardly a superhero, though; the Yellow Kid was a short boy with huge ears, a bald head, and a signature yellow nightshirt. Regardless, the comic became so popular that competing papers started relying on it to boost sales. The strip even spawned the term "yellow journalism," which refers to a brand of sensationalist newspapers. Then, in March 1897, a Yellow Kid compilation was released, and it became the first comic strip printed as a pulp magazine. (The one pictured is magazine #2). But what's the true measure of commercial success? Products galore. The Yellow Kid was the first comic book character to be merchandized on things like t-shirts, gum and even kitchen appliances.

THE 1940s: KEEPING IT GOLDEN Captain America #1 (March 1941) With the world at war, Americans desperately needed a superhero who would convince them that good could triumph over evil. Captain America jumped into the ring fist-first, delivering a swift punch to Hitler's jaw on the cover of his first comic (no veiled political overtones here!). The Captain was on a die-hard crusade against Nazism, fighting his nemesis Red Skull, who, according to the comic, was personally appointed to the post by Hitler himself. And although Captain America wasn't the first overtly patriotic superhero (The Shield had donned a similar star-spangled getup a year prior), he was the most popular. Be sure to note the title on this one: Captain America was the first character to be given his own book without being tested in another comic first. Batman #1 (Spring 1940) Although this marked the second time a superhero had gotten his own title, Batman #1 is most important for making celebrities out of Batman's nemeses, the Joker and Catwoman, whom he meets here for the first time.

Batman had also recently teamed up with Robin the Boy Wonder to create the world's most dynamic duo (and first superhero sidekick!). But since Batman was injured more often than his comic book brethren (he was only human after all), he sometimes had to hand over his cases to his good buddy Robin. All-American Comics #16 (July 1940) This issue launched the enormously popular Green Lantern, the first "everyday guy" to luck into superhero powers. Engineer Alan Scott inherited his new identity after a) finding a lantern made of alien metal, b) making a ring from the metal, then c) logically pressing said ring against said lantern to amazing effect "¦ thus, gaining powers over everything except (strangely enough) wood. Wonder Woman #1 (Summer 1942) Wonder Woman first appeared in All Star Comics #8 as a kind of proto-feminist figure, fighting for wronged women in a man-made world. Until that point, the women of comics were mainly girlfriends or secretaries looking to be rescued.

Though dually praised and criticized for her role, just a few months after Wonder Woman's debut, a poll crowned her the readers' "favorite superhero," beating her closest male rival by a margin of 40-1. Whiz Comics #2 (February 1940) The star of Whiz Comics #2 was Billy Batson, a congenial kid who could transform himself into a super-powered hero called Captain Marvel by uttering "SHAZAM!" (an acronym invoking the powers of Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury). Young boys everywhere became fascinated with Captain Marvel, and the fantasy of transforming themselves into a superhero and back again. THE 1960s: THE SILVER AGE The Silver Age ushered comics out of the 1950s Comics Code doldrums with a brand-spanking-new approach to storytelling. The Fantastic Four #1 (1961) and The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962) In 1961, Marvel writers Stan Lee and Jack Kirby decided that flawless superheroes weren't very, well, realistic.

So Lee, Kirby and artist Steve Ditko created The Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk and The Amazing Spider-Man. These characters had super-instincts, but they also had some personal problems. In the old days, readers knew exactly who the good guys were and rooting for them was easy. But by the Silver Age, readers got a chance to consider more mundane stuff, like what would happen if Clark Kent and Lois Lane wanted to have a baby. Amazing Fantasy #15 (March 1963) When Peter Parker, a nerdy, orphaned teenager, gets bitten by a radioactive spider, it turns out to be a good thing. As Spider-Man, Parker has "the proportionate strength and agility" of a spider. And while his smarts and strict ethics should have made him a hero even before he had super-powers, his triumph as an underdog helped make "Spidey" one of the most beloved superheroes of all time. Captain America #117 (September 1969) Here, Marvel introduces one of the first African-American superheroes, the Falcon.

By day, the Falcon is Harlem social worker Sam Wilson, who has a cautious civil rights platform that discourages black separatism and militancy. The appeal of Captain America, which had a political allegiance that leaned a little to the right, was considerably bolstered by his introduction. The X-Men #1 (September 1963) Stan Lee's X-Men comics made their debut in the Silver Age, but their popularity grew as the years went on. The X-Men are unique in the comic universe in that they are inexplainably born with mutant powers and are severely persecuted as a result. While the team has survived various incarnations over the years, the storyline was slyly created in part to address social issues of prejudice and persecution in way that would get past the Comics Code censors. The Seduction of the Innocent (1954) After World War II, superhero comics wavered in popularity, disappearing into the underground in part due to the publication of Frederick Wortham's The Seduction of the Innocent. Wortham's book warned parents that comic books corrupted kids and made them violent. Comic publishers were sent reeling but recovered quickly with a self-imposed censorship law called the Comics Code Authority.

More than a cautionary label, the code ensured that any comic bearing its insignia would be completely free of questionable content. THE 1970s: THE BRONZE AGE The chronological boundaries of the next era in comics are ambiguous, but 1970s are considered to be the Bronze Age of comics, with the 1980s generally accepted as the Modern Age — a time characterized by new genres, Marvel/DC cross-over issues, and new titles with the same old heroes. Green Lantern/Green Arrow #76 (April 1970) Amid the civil rights and Vietnam protests of the time, DC Comics found the perfect way to tap into the social climate of the country and boost their sagging sales: by pairing up their conservative vigilante, the Green Lantern, with the left-leaning hero, the Green Arrow. Introduced just a year before, the Green Arrow expanded the scope of storytelling to include relevant social and political issues and capture the idealism of the youth movements of the decade. In the 13 titles that followed, the duo tackled difficult topics including racism, environmental damage and even heroin addiction.

Although the Comics Code Authority frowned upon drug-related themes (like when Speedy, Green Arrow's aptly named sidekick, faced his addiction), the New York Times lauded the title for ushering in a new sense of "relevance" for comics. The Amazing Spider-Man #96-98 (1971) Look closely and you'll notice this cover is missing the Comics Code Authority stamp of approval. Until this point, ignoring the CCA smacked of commercial suicide, but Marvel saw no ethical problem in dealing openly with the dangers of drugs and stuck to its guns. As with the Green Lantern/Green Arrow comics, publishers began to stand up to the CCA and publish issues without their approval. This, however, was the first mainstream one to do so. The Incredible Hulk #181 (November 1974) The character Wolverine (later famously attached to the X-Men) made his debut in this Incredible Hulk title. Wolverine, along with The Punisher, signaled the arrival of a new type of hero: the anti-hero. Emotionally imbalanced, the vengeful Wolverine didn't mind killing villains in the name of good or regularly spilling blood in the name of justice.

Conan the Barbarian #1 (October 1970) While pulp "sword and sorcery" stories had been around for decades, it wasn't until Marvel's recreation of adventure-book hero Conan the Barbarian that comic publishers began to embrace these older fantasy themes. In fact, Conan inspired a whole slew of sorcery titles, including Marvel's Kull the Conqueror and DC's The Warlord, creating an alternative genre for comic book fans who'd grown weary of traditional superheroes in tights. Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man (1976) In 1976, it finally happened: Marvel and DC, the two giants (and rivals) of the industry, united forces to produce this oversized issue. Wide-eyed fans the world over were found salivating, knowing their prayers had been answered. While the title wasn't the first collaboration between the comic companies (they'd teamed up once before to work on a Wizard of Oz book), it was the first major comic book crossover, a gimmick that guaranteed robust sales.

OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM While there are tons of artists and titles we'd love to highlight (everyone from Daniel Clowes to publishing houses like Dark Horse and Malibu) we just couldn't finish without dropping these names. Zap Comix #0 (1967) Crude, scathing and obscene, Zap Comix epitomized the underground comic. Its creators intentionally spelled comix with an "˜x' to accentuate the X-rated nature of the book, separating itself from the mainstream. But lewd content wasn't Zap's only distinguishing feature. The writers experimented with dream sequences and stream-of-consciousness and embraced storytelling in its most experimental forms. Zap is also famous (and infamous) for introducing the artist Robert Crumb (creator of Fritz the Cat and the subject of the critically acclaimed 1994 documentary, "Crumb") to the masses. Maus #1 (1986) Art Spiegelman's Maus became the first comic book to receive the Pulitzer Prize, bestowing a new level of legitimacy on the medium. This graphic novel illustrates the plight and persecution of Jews during the Holocaust, as told to Spiegelman by his father (a survivor).

Maus crossed the line between comic books and mainstream books, inventing the genre of graphic novels. Today, Spiegelman is generally confined to that category, but it's impossible to deny the impact he's had on the world of comics. Akira #1 (September 1988) Referred to as Manga, Japanese comics account for over a third of the nation's published books. And though Akira wasn't the first Japanese comic export, it's probably been the most influential, telling the striking and poignant tale of a child psychic in post-World War III (yes, three) Tokyo. Creator Katsuhiro Otomo's influence on comics helped open the gates for the Western popularity of "Pokemon" and "Sailor Moon," but Akira remains his claim to fame. Spider-Man #1 (1990) In 1990, Marvel granted "favored son" status to its artist Todd McFarlane, giving him his own Spider-Man title to write. McFarlane proved worthy. Using nine different covers, Spider-Man #1 became the best-selling comic to date.

Not willing to part with his own creations, McFarlane ended up leaving Marvel with a number of well-known artists (and a few ideas up his sleeve) to form Image Comics, which allowed artists to retain the licensing rights to their ideas. The company thrived from the get-go with McFarlane's other famous superhero comic, Spawn. Superman #75 (January 1993) Superman dies?! Yup. The unthinkable happens in 1993 with the release of Superman #75. Millions snatched up the comic to read about the death of America's first superhero. Conveniently, some copies even came packaged with black armbands to mourn the loss. Of course, long-time comic fans were already anticipating his soap-operatic reprise, but the general public thought it was surely the real thing. When the story finally resumed, four new characters emerged, each claiming to be the true incarnation of the dead superhero. Just like any list, we were forced to leave plenty of favorites off. Watchmen? Persepolis? If you've got comics we need to write up for part 2, be sure to include them in the comments below.

TheComicBooks.com - The History of Comic Books TheComicsBooks.com - The History of Comic Books Creating the Superhero Prior to Comicbook heroes we had pulp heroes. "Pulps" were small 10 cent books sold on the newsstands, usually filled with action heroes going to exotic places and having adventures. Among these heroes were Doc Samson and The Shadow . They also had very popular radio shows. While they certainly did things that were beyond what a normal person could do, they weren't called superheroes or marketed as if they had abilities beyond a person at their physical peak. Nonetheless, they had their influence on what was to come. Another pre-Superhero came from the comic strips, he is Popeye. He was created by Elzie Segar and first appeared in a strip called Thimble Theater in 1929. While he didn't go out and fight crime, he did eat his spinich and displayed some 'above average' feats of human strength while fighting his nemises Bluto. This picture is the first ever appearance of Popeye. This comic is the first American publishing of The Phantom, who is now a worldwide hero.

The Phantom made his debut on February 17th, 1936 and he was the first costumed hero. He was created by Lee Falk, who still today is working on his stories. The Phantom was the kind of hero that despite his normal "human" capabilities, fought crime with bravery and death defying stunts. Many future heroes would follow his lead. For more information about this breakthrough hero read The Phantom biography. Also in 1936 The Clock appeared in Funny Pages #6. The Clock was a masked detective; this is the first time a character used a mask to hide his face. Later on, masks would be used in most costumes so the hero could disguise his or her true identity. The Golden Age (1938 - 1956) In June 1938, Action Comics #1 came out, featuring a man in a red and blue costume lifting a car over his head! This was Superman, the very first comic character to have powers far beyond a normal human being. Sure, Flash Gordon and The Shadow were neat, but they couldn't lift a car over their heads and throw it at someone!

Nor could they let bullets bounce off their chests, or run faster than a train, or leap over tall buildings in a single bound. To say the least, Superman was a fitting name. When Siegel and Shuster were younger they tried pitching the Superman idea at newspapers and comics. One of their earliest proposals was a cartoon character called The Superman in 1933. They were constantly rejected, to the point that artist Joe Shuster once tore up his Superman artwork and stated that he'd redo the character properly if the time ever came. Today Superman is one of the 10 most recognized 'people' on the face of the planet. He has been in several movies, cartoons and TV series. Detective Comics #27 hit the stands in In May, 1939. In it we saw the first appearance of Batman. While Superman was pure and clean, Batman was grim and gritty. In this comic, the villain fell into a vat of acid, which killed him. Not showing any remorse for causing the death, Batman observed "A fitting end for his kind." Batman was created by Bob Kane and has always remained in print.

During a time when superhero comics were not so popular, Batman survived by focusing on his detective abilities, making his comic stories more of a mystery series than a superhero book. The reason Batman is so popular is because he is a compromise between the two types of heroes. He didn't have superpowers, but he did have an intellect, a costume, and neat gadgets that would put him on par with the superheroes. Batman has been put on the big and small screen several times in T.V series, movies, and cartoons. Also in May of 1939, Wonder Comics #1 came out. This title's star hero was called Wonderman (no relation to the Marvel character). His powers were virtually identical to Superman's. This got DC angry enough to file a copyright infringement case against the publisher, Victor Fox. The case went to court and the judge decided in DC's favor. There was a Wonder Comics #2, but no Wonderman in it, and that would be the last of this title's run. In the Summer of 1939, Superman continued to show his success. He was the very first hero to get a comic book fully devoted to telling his adventures.

Up until this point, all comic books had a variety of characters and stories in them. Because of the success of this title, other comic characters are also given a chance with their own titles. In 1939, A book called Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly came out and in it would be Marvel Comics' first and longest running character, Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner . Namor would appear in an 8-page black and white story in the back of this comic. This same story would be expanded a little and would reappear in Marvel Comics #1. This Motion Pictures comic was supposed to be handed out free at movie theaters along the east coast of the States. Most theater chains turned down the book, so the amount of distribution is not known. Later on in October, 1939, Marvel Comics #1 came out. A group of successful superhero veterans from Funnies Inc. contacted publisher Martin Goodman. The Funnies group told him that they would present to him a prepared, finished comic book every month, for a service fee. Among this group was Bill Everett, who created Prince Namor the Sub-Mariner for this book.

Other heroes from this comic are The Human Torch, created by Carl Burgos, Ka-Zar, The Angel, and The Masked Raider (who was a Lone Ranger rip-off). This company would go through three different name changes. The first was Timely Comics, the second was Atlas, and the third and present is Marvel Comics. The Human Torch was re-done as a teenage member of the Fantastic Four in 1961, but The Original Human Torch was brought back for a short time in the 80's. The Angel was re-done as an X-men member, and Ka-Zar still lives on today, he recently got his own series. The Shield made his appearance in Pep Comics #1. The comic hit the stands in January 1940. The Shield was the very first patriotic American hero. His star spangled costume and fight for America created many imitators, Captain America being one of them. This comic book was published by MJL Magazines. This character along with many others heroes were used by Detective Comics in the 80's and had new adventures in a 1991 Legends of The Shield book under a !mpact Comics imprint.

In February of 1940 More Fun #52 came out with a new hero. DC made a mistake with this new superhero because they made him too powerful. The Spectre was a police officer that died, and upon talking to God he was sent back down to Earth as a ghost. Possessing almost unlimited superpowers, he would turn all the evil doers into ash. But the character wasn't a big success because he was quite cold, humorless, and unstoppable. Bullets would pass right through him, he could walk through walls; he had no weaknesses. Despite the initial failure, The Spectre was brought back by DC three times and today has a ongoing series. Also in February 1940, Whiz Comics #2 came out. This comic had a character that would cause DC trouble for some time (click name to see why). His name was Captain Marvel. Some interesting footnotes about this book was that in Thrill Comics #1 (which was an ashcan - promotional small comic) had a character called Captain Thunder, but quickly found out that the name was already taken, so it was changed to Captain Marvel and the title of the comic changed.

This comic was also supposed to be named 'Flash Comics', but a few days before their distribution DC put out their own Flash Comics title, featuring The Flash and Green Lantern. The very first sidekick came out in April of 1940. His name was Robin the Boy Wonder. He first appeared in Detective Comics #38. Batman and Robin would be the best known 'dynamic duo' in comic books. Robin was important in comic books because he was a hero that the younger readers could relate to. Because of the popularity of Robin, other superheroes got their own teen-aged side kicks. Three different characters have filled the Robin costume. The first was Dick Grayson, the second was Jason Todd (who will be talked about later), and the third and current one is Timothy Drake. In the Winter of 1940 the very first superhero team formed. It was called the Justice Society of America. They appeared in All Star Comics #3. The original members included: The Flash, The Green Lantern, The Spectre, The Hawkman, Dr. Fate, The Hour-man, The Sandman, Atom, and Johnny Thunder. All of these characters were great in their own titles, but readers responded with excitement to putting them all together.

Creating superhero teams is still a very common thing today. In 1941, Wonder Woman first appeared in All Star Comics #8. She started out as the Justice League Society secretary, but she would later become the first big name super heroine to go toe to toe with Superman and Batman. Not only could she battle them on equal terms, her book would last as long as theirs. During a time when superheroes were not so popular, Wonder Woman comics, like Superman and Batman, remained strong. Captain America made his first appearance in March, 1941. But the way he appeared was just as exciting as the character. Captain America #1 was his first appearance; Captain America was never tested in another book before receiving his own comic title. This was unheard of in comics to that date. Comic companies did not go out and hire a group a people to produce a comic title if they didn't know the character could sell it. They always tested out the character in another comic first, and gauged reader reaction to the character via sales figures. They did it with Superman in Action Comics #1; it was a year before he got his own book. The same went for Batman.

But Timely Comics publisher Martin Goodman saw the rough sketch of Captain America by Joe Simon and knew immediately it would sell. So he gave Captain America his own book right away and was successful with it. Captain America wasn't like Superman who spoke of "Truth, Justice and the American way". Superman was an alien from outer space; Captain America was a "real" American. Also, Captain America was fighting the Nazi's long before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor happened, after which America entered the Second World War. Even though there were other patriotic heroes in comics, Captain America was the first one to be really successfull with readers. Also in 1941 Pep Comics #22 came out. Little did people know that the superheroes on the cover would not be the big attraction. A story in the back of the comic about a teenaged boy in a love triangle named Archie Andrews would become the draw for this book. Archie Andrews would completely take over this company and keep it successful to this day. In this issue Archie's friends called him 'Chic'; Archie was modeled roughly around Mickey Rooney's Andy Hardy character. By 1943 this company, known then as MJL Magazines, would change its name to Archie Comics.

After WWII, superhero comics began to loose their popularity, other genres of comics rose in popularity for usually a few years. Until the whole industy began to drop. Batman: 70 years tribute, created in 1939 - YouTube Batman: 70 years tribute, created in 1939 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Dec 10, 2009 Batman was first created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and this impressive character debuted in the May 1939 Detective Comics issue 27. Now, it's been 70 years since his Detective Comics debut and it's time to acknowledge that. Batman's one of the first comic book heroes and one of the few heroes from the Golden Age of comic books to still be as relevant and admired by many people to this very day. Batman's been standing the test of time and he'll continue to do so.

This is my tribute to Batman, a very fascinating dark, brooding vigilante with the heart of a hero. To his creators, from the bottom of my heart, even though you're both resting in peace now, I THANK YOU. Music used from "Behold the Darkness" by Medwyn Goodall owned by New World Music and "It's not goodbye, it's see you later " by Aaron Zigman from "John Q musical score" owned by New Line Cinema Batman and all related characters is owned by DC Comics and Warner Bros. Entertainment This is entirely Non-Profit,under Fair Use Act. Category Detective Comics Issue 27 | Batman Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Detective Comics Issue 27 "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate" General Information Detective Comics #26 (Before Batman's Creation) Next Issue: Synopsis "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate" Commissioner Gordon learns that a chemical industrialist named Lambert has just been murdered. It appears as if Lambert's son is guilty of the crime, but he confesses only to finding his father's body. Bruce Wayne is present at the crime scene and decides to investigate as Batman.

Exploring Lambert's contacts, he discovers the names of his old business partners, Steven Crane, Paul Rogers and Alfred Stryker. Shortly thereafter, Steven Crane is found dead in his home. Paul Rogers learns of the murder and seeks out the last surviving business partner, Alfred Stryker. But Stryker reveals himself to be behind the crimes and kidnaps Rogers. He wants total control over their business interests. Batman swoops down inside of Stryker's chemical factory and rescues Rogers. Stryker tries to attack him but Batman beats him back, toppling the criminal into a vat of acid. Appearances "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate" Individuals Notes This issue marked the first published appearance of Batman in any medium. The story was reprinted in Detective Comics #387 , Batman from the 30s to 70s, Famous First Edition C-28, Batman Archives (Volume 1), Detective Comics #627 , Millennium Edition: Detective Comics #27, Batman in the Forties and Batman Chronicles (Volume 1).

Other stories in this issue include "The Killers of Kurdistan" ( Speed Saunders, Ace Investigator ), "Bullet Bluff" ( Buck Marshall, Range Detective ), an untitled Spy story, an untitled Crimson Avenger story, an untitled Bruce Nelson story, "The Mysterious Doctor Fu Manchu" (adapted from the novel The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu), an untitled Cosmo, the Phantom of Disguise story, an untitled Plain Clothes Pete story and an untitled Slam Bradley story. Batman 75th Anniversary: Vintage Comic Covers Jim: “Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s Batman: Year One .” Batman #50, 1948, drawn by Bob Kane Courtesy DC Entertainment Who’s your favorite Batman villain? Dan: “Two-Face is my favorite villain.” Batman #181, 1966, first appearance of Poison Ivy, dran by Carmine Infantino Courtesy DC Entertainment Jim: “I should say Hush, but my real favorite villain is also from that story.

It’s Superman, when he was under Poison Ivy’s control, because at the end of the day there’s no greater villain than a friend gone bad.” Detective Comics #244, 1957, drawn by Sheldon Moldoff Courtesy DC Entertainment Which actor do you think has done the best Batman? Dan: “Michael Keaton was the best Bruce Wayne and Christian Bale had the best Batman physique.” Detective Comics #69, 1942, drawn by Jerry Robinson Courtesy DC Entertainment Jim: “Most people say Christian Bale, but Val Kilmer’s performance is very underrated – he was both a good Bruce Wayne and Batman.” Batman #190, 1967, drawn by Carmine Infantino Courtesy DC Entertainment Did you see The Lego Movie? What did you think of Will Arnett’s performance as Batman? Dan: “I thought Will Arnett ‘kept it together’ very nicely.” Batman #179, 1966, drawn by Gil Kane Courtesy DC Entertainment Jim: I loved the movie. Will Arnett was awesome. Frankly, ‘everything was awesome’ .” Batman #121, 1958, first appearance of Mr.

Freeze, drawn by Curt Swan Courtesy DC Entertainment How do you think Batman would celebrate his 75th birthday? Dan: “Probably by prowling the streets of Gotham.” Batman #59, 1950, drawn by Lew Sayre Schwartz Courtesy DC Entertainment Jim: “Batman would celebrate at Arkham Asylum, I hear they throw crazy parties there.” Batman #37, 1946, drawn by Jerry Robinson Courtesy DC Entertainment DC Entertainment is also partnering with thousands of comic retailers, book stores and libraries for “Batman Day” on Wednesday, July 23. Each location will host a Batman 75th anniversary celebration and offer fans a free, special edition Batman comic. World’s Best Comics #1, 1941, drawn by Fred Ray Courtesy DC Entertainment 2014 is also a banner year for Batman in Hollywood: Shooting begins this year on Zack Snyder’s untitled Batman/Superman film , which unites the famous characters on screen for the first time ever. Henry Cavill will be reprising his role as Superman, and Ben Affleck is donning the cape and cowl as Batman . The film will be released in 2016.

Batman #16, 1943, drawn by Jerry Robinson Courtesy DC Entertainment So get ready, Bat-fans. It’s gonna be a long, amazing year. Like us on Facebook for more stories like this! Show Full Article Detective Comics Detective Comics Detective Comics, published monthly by DC Comics, first hit newsstands in March 1937. As of June 2010, the series has had 866 issues published, which makes it the longest-running comic book in America. Originally, the comic was published as an anthology that featured stories in-line with the “hard-boiled detective” genre, which was already popular at newsstands at the time in the form of pulps. The first issue of Detective Comics introduced the character Slam Bradley, a private eye who battled villains with his bare hands. Slam Bradley was a popular character, and he was a regular from issue #1 until issue #152, when he disappeared from the panels of Detective Comics. Though he made several appearances throughout the eighties and nineties, he was not a regular again until he returned in 2001 as a recurring character in DC’s Catwoman comics.

However, it was in issue #27, released in May 1939, in which DC’s most famous hero made his first appearance: Batman (originally called “The Bat-Man”). Though initially just another character, Batman came to dominate Detective Comics, and his run as a character is the longest in the history of Detective Comics (with Slam Bradley coming in second) with all issues of Detective Comics being devoted exclusively to Batman, though other characters appear in side-stories. The 500th issue of Detective Comics, published in 1981, featured the return of many of DC’s non-costumed detectives such as Slam Bradley, Jason Bard, and Steve Malone. Of course, Batman was right along side them. Detective Comics is the longest-running comic book in American history, and it shows no signs of letting up. Who knows what we will see in the future. Perhaps another character will be introduced in the pages of Detective Comics that will push Batman off his throne. But that is highly unlikely.

Question: Which comic book hero made his debut in issue 27 of Detective in 1939?
Answer: BATMAN